Are Chips Ahoy Vegan and Cruelty-Free? The Sweet Truth

June 2, 2023

Trying to work out if Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies are safe for vegans to consume can be challenging.

Packaged cookies often mask their ingredients behind super vague terms, such as “natural flavors.” And even if you go get a full list, it’s not always clear which ones are actually vegan friendly.

To ensure that you’re only consuming food that aligns with your vegan lifestyle and diet, I’ve investigated the ingredients and production processes of Chips Ahoy.

Here’s what I found.

Are Chips Ahoy Vegan?

No. Chips Ahoy cookies are not vegan.

Chips Ahoy cookies are not vegan because they contain milk and sugar.

Milk is, of course, an animal product, and sugar is often processed using bone char, which is made from ground-up animal bones.

These two ingredients make it clear that Chips Ahoy is not suitable for vegan consumption. So, if you’re looking for a vegan cookie, Chips Ahoy is not the right choice.

The good news is that there are plenty of other vegan-friendly cookie brands out there. Many of which are easily accessible and just as delicious as Chips Ahoy.

Are Chips Ahoy Cookies Cruelty-Free?

No. Chips Ahoy cookies are not cruelty-free.

Chips Ahoy cookies are not tested on animals, but they do contain artificial flavors, which are frequently tested on animals to ensure they are safe for human consumption.

Animal testing is a harsh and outmoded practice that frequently results in the disfigurement, misery, or death of innocent animals.

There are numerous food flavorings available that do not require animal testing, therefore there is no reason for any company to continue using them.

What Are Chips Ahoy Cookies Made Of?

Here are the ingredients of Chips Ahoy Original Chocolate Chip Cookies:

  • Unbleached enriched flour (wheat, flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
  • Semisweet chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, dextrose, milk, soy, lecithin)
  • Sugar
  • Canola oil
  • Palm oil
  • High fructose corn syrup
  • Leavening (baking soda, ammonium phosphate)
  • Salt
  • Natural and artificial flavor
  • Caramel color
  • Wheat
  • Milk
  • Soy

Let’s break down each ingredient of Chips Ahoy:

Unbleached enriched flour

Unbleached enriched flour is a type of wheat flour that has been milled from wheat and then had some of its nutrients added back in. The nutrients that are typically added back into unbleached enriched flour are niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, and folic acid. These are all vegan.

Semisweet chocolate chips

Semisweet chocolate chips are made from sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, dextrose, milk, soy, and lecithin. The sugar and milk of course make semisweet chocolate chips unsuitable for vegans. Semisweet chocolate chips are not a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Sugar

Sugar is a type of carbohydrate found in numerous foods and drinks. It is used to sweeten the taste of food. Sugar is plant based but is often processed using bone char, which is derived from ground-up animal bones. Unless the sugar listed is labeled “organic,” “raw,” or “unrefined,” it is likely not vegan.

Canola oil

Canola oil is an edible vegetable oil that is extracted from the seeds of the canola plant. Canola oil is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Palm oil

Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil that is extracted from the flesh of the fruit of the oil palm tree. Palm oil is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

High fructose corn syrup

High fructose corn syrup is a type of sugar that is made from corn starch. High fructose corn syrup is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Leavening

Leavening is an ingredient that helps baked goods to rise. The leavening in Chips Ahoy is made from baking soda and ammonium phosphate. Baking soda and ammonium phosphate are vegan-friendly ingredients.

Salt

Salt is used for flavor and as a preservative. Salt is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Natural flavors and artificial flavors

Natural flavors are flavors that are derived from plants or animals and artificial flavors are flavors that are synthetic and made in a laboratory. Natural flavors and artificial flavors can be vegan friendly or not, depending on their source. It is unclear if these flavors in Chips Ahoy are vegan, but considering the nature of the product (sweets), it’s unlikely that they come from animal sources.

Caramel color

Caramel color is a type of food coloring that is made by heating carbohydrates. Caramel color is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Wheat

Wheat is a type of grain that is used to make flour. Wheat is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Milk

Milk is an animal product used to add creaminess or thickness to food.

Soy

Soy is a type of legume that is used in many vegan foods as a meat alternative. It is vegan.

Why Aren’t Chips Ahoy Vegan?

Chips Ahoy cookies are not vegan because they contain animal-based ingredients that are not suitable for vegans. These ingredients include semisweet chocolate chips, sugar, and milk.

In addition, the sugar in Chips Ahoy is probably refined and bleached with the use of bone char. Bone char is a type of charcoal that is made from the bones of animals.

Are Chips Ahoy Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies Vegan?

No. Chips Ahoy Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies are not vegan because they contain whey and sugar, which are not vegan-friendly ingredients.

These Chips Ahoy cookies are not safe for vegan consumption.

Are Chips Ahoy Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies Vegan?

No. Chips Ahoy Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies are not vegan because they contain whey and sugar, which are not vegan-friendly ingredients.

These Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies are not safe for vegan consumption.

Are Chips Ahoy Candy Cookies Vegan?

No. Chips Ahoy Candy Cookies are not vegan. This product contains whey and candy-coated morsels, which contain sugar.

These cookies are not safe for vegan consumption.

Are Chips Ahoy Hershey’s Cookies Vegan?

No. Chips Ahoy Hershey’s Cookies are not vegan because they contain whey and sugar.

These cookies are not safe for vegan consumption.

Are Chips Ahoy Grind Vegan?

No. Chips Ahoy Grind, cookie pieces with chocolate chunks, is not vegan because it contains whey and sugar.

These Chips Ahoy cookie pieces are not safe for vegan consumption.

Vegan Alternatives to Chips Ahoy

If you’re partial to Chips Ahoy but are looking for a vegan-friendly alternative, there are a few brands that make similar products. Here are a few of my favorites:

If you are a person who loves exploring and cooking your own food, then making your own vegan chocolate chip cookies at home is a great option for you. You can try out these recipes:

All these recipes are delicious and easy to follow. With a few simple ingredients, you can have fresh and tasty vegan cookies in no time.

Final Words

So, there you have it! The answer to the question “Are Chips Ahoy Vegan?” is no, they are not vegan because they contain dairy and refined sugar. However, there are many vegan-friendly alternatives to Chips Ahoy that you can try. There are other brands that make similar products, or if you want to explore your inner baker you can try making your own vegan cookies at home with one of the recipes I’ve shared.